


A Danvers Disappearance

by bathtimefunduck



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Agent Anxious doesn't mean to get in trouble, Established Alex Danvers/Coffee, F/F, Gen, this time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2018-10-11 17:09:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10469991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bathtimefunduck/pseuds/bathtimefunduck
Summary: AKA Why Alex now gets reimbursed for ordering coffee via UberEatsAlex Danvers thought about herself somewhere below all of her friends and family, below the the city, below the world, and just above Maxwell Lord. Alex Danvers had a duty and she would perform it if it killed her.Today it might.





	1. The Coffee Conspiracy

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm attempting to angst, but apparently I am pathologically sassy and criminally undercaffeinated.

# Chapter 1: The Coffee Conspiracy

    Alex Danvers has spent a good majority of her life worrying. Worrying about Kara, worrying about what her mother would think, worrying about Kara as Supergirl, worrying about J’onn, worrying about being blasted off into space, worrying about the end of the world, worrying about screwing up with Maggie, the list goes on. Alex is well aware that she has earned the name “Agent Anxious” so lovingly bestowed upon her by Dr. Hamilton.

    Apparently she is also supposed to be worrying about her blood pressure.

    That’s lower on the list.

    Kara is bullet proof. Her mother took her coming out better than she did. Supergirl saves the world again and again. J’onn is literally older than the United States. Kara saved her.

    Maggie is everything. Maggie is Alex’s rock, her sounding board, and she has never been anything but perfect, as far as Alex is concerned. There’ve been a few hiccups along the way ( _looking at you Valentine’s Day_ ) but for the most part it’s been smooth sailing, because she and Maggie just _fit_. Under her arm, in her bed, at her back, Maggie fits.

    That still terrifies Alex sometimes.

     They lead such dangerous lives, they all do, and any moment some part of the happiness Alex has found could be gone, just _poof_ in an instant. It’s her job, it’s Maggie’s job, it’s Kara’s need to help. She wanted to beat James and Winn over the head when they joined in, vigilante style.

     The one thing Alex never really considered was that _she_ might be the one to threaten that happiness. _She_ might be the one ripped away. Like, abstractly, she realized she worked in a dangerous job, in a dangerous city, with dangerous people. She recognized there was a chance she might not come home one day, and when Kara finally knew what she did for a living, it was actually a giant weight off her shoulders because at least then Kara would know _why_ Alex didn’t come home.

     But Alex Danvers thought about herself somewhere below all of her friends and family, below the the city, below the world, and just above Maxwell Lord. Alex Danvers had a duty and she would perform it if it killed her.

     Today it might.

     If Alex Danvers was ever found, she wanted it known that, for once, she really, honestly, had not meant to charge into danger head first and without backup.

     She just wanted a damn coffee.

     Three days into the latest crises, and Alex was dragging. Alex needed the sun and air (Hamilton pushed her out of the lab by force saying _Kryptonians aren’t the only ones who need sun, Danvers_ ). Alex wanted coffee because someone from Mars finished off her stash of the good stuff. She. Just. Wanted. Coffee.

     When a van came to a screeching halt as she passed an alleyway, Alex hit her comms. Alex fought off six men with nothing more than her batons and her anger _because they couldn’t wait ten goddamn minutes for her to get her coffee_.

     The driver stayed in his seat, ready for a quick getaway.

     Alex may not be at the top of her game from sleep deprivation and being all of twenty feet from the sweet bliss of dark roasted Ethiopian beans freshly ground and slow poured from a french press upon order, but Danvers is a name feared by all within and many outside of the DEO _for a reason_ . Alex gets bitter when she is denied her bitter bean juice. Not only that, she gets _vindictive_.

_Fuck you_ , she thinks, _and your tinted windows_ , as one man’s head is slammed through the front passenger window, much to the driver’s surprise. She admires her handiwork a little too long, _because she needs her damn coffee_ , and gets body slammed into the van door for her troubles. Her ribs don’t appreciate the violent twist of sliding down and using brute #2’s weight against him. _He_ doesn’t appreciate the boot to his nuts when Lackeys #3 and #4 merge on her. #2 certainly doesn’t appreciate the full force of her body weight as she shifts to kick #3 in the head while using the baton on #4.

    Big guys usually aren’t very fast, and these four were no exceptions. _You learn a few things about speed when your sister eats 10,000 calories per day and has no qualms poaching your food_.

    Coffee Bandits #5 and #6 were smart enough to hang back a bit and tried to let her wear herself out on the other guys. _Joke’s on you I’m already worn out because I haven’t had my coffee_. They also have guns.

    Now Alex had called for backup the moment the van stopped. Alex was ten blocks from the DEO. It seem strange to her that _she was still handling this by herself_ when help was so close by. Even the NCPD would be welcome, even if it meant Maggie giving her shit for being rescued ( _and by us dumb local cops at that, Danvers_ ).

    Alex had neither the time nor the energy to deal with these assholes when there was yet another Alien Trafficking ring in National City. She had shit to do and she wasn’t going to let some thugs for hire stop her from doing it _after she gets her coffee and eight bags of beans to go thank you_.

    So she charged them.

    They weren’t expecting that.

_I blow up buildings I’m standing in for fun clearly they didn’t do their homework_.

    It doesn’t take much longer to take them down too, leaving a pitiful mass of men in black to be picked up by the federally-employed men and women in black. Who still haven’t arrived.

    Alex frowned and tapped her ear again. “Winn? Vas?”

    She glanced around.

    The men had been easy ( _aren’t they all?_ snorts a voice in her head that sounds suspiciously like her girlfriend).

    It was the barista on break in the alley she didn’t expect. The barista who hadn’t been there ten minutes ago and hadn’t made a sound the entire time Alex was fighting men twice her size. Who hadn’t called the police, clearly.

_Never coming here again_ is the last thought in Alex’s head after the sharp prick of a needle is followed by something solid _and painful_ for good measure.


	2. A Different Kind of Rush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex has a one-track mind, even when she's tied up with work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, I found some of the angst.

#  **Chapter 2: A Different Kind of Rush**

Alex came to in fits and starts. There was a pounding in her head and for the longest time that was all she could focus on.  _ Thud-thump _ .  _ Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

Alex counted to ten, breathing through the nausea. 

_     In _ .

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump.   
_

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In _ .

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump.   
_

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

    She could feel it. The slow drip down the back of her neck that meant trouble. A steady flow of life, warm and pulsing with her heart, fractured thoughts and blurry vision. Copper on her tongue, heavy metal and salt. 

    Her arms above her head, straining with her consciousness, the damage of dead weight while she was unconscious already apparent. Any attempt to relieve the pull dug metal into her wrists, that warmth dripping down her arms as it did down her neck. Every breath a struggle, as she remembered the fight near the coffee shop, her feet dangling uselessly above the ground.

    Whatever they hit her with still had her useless. 

    The concussion from the brick wasn’t helping either.

    Any other time, Agent Danvers would tense her abs and pull herself upside down, pick the locks around her wrists with the lockpicks she never left at home, and be on her merry way to destroying whoever interrupted her coffee run this morning. 

    Hopefully it was this morning.

    Alex was pretty sure she hadn’t been out that long.

    Maybe. 

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_    Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_    In. _

_    Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

    At any rate, her abs were trying to relieve the strain on her arms and failing, whatever the drug was certainly came with a kick.  _ Not exactly the kind I had been looking for _ . 

    Alex’s head rolled over her chest as her eyes fluttered, trying to bring the room into focus. It was dark, but not that dark. She tilted her head back and coughed on the blood in her mouth, forward again to spit it out and lean her temple against her straining arm. 

    There’s three doors some ways ahead.

    She’s pretty sure there’s one. 

    It wouldn’t make sense for three overlapping women step through overlapping doors. The multiverse may be real  _ and she really needs to have another conversation with Kara about jumping through god damn portals _ but there was some law against occupying the same space at the same time.

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Ou- _

_     Holy motherfucking Rao _ .

     Light  _ shatters _ across her vision. The pounding of her heart suddenly amplifies, the taste and smell of copper overwhelming her senses. Alex saw three of everything before, but now she sees nothing but flashing lights red and yellow and splitting her shattered brain farther and farther with every blink.

_      In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_      Out. _

_      Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_      In. _

_      Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_      Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

     “Agent Danvers. How nice of you to join us.”

     Alex furrowed her brow, squinting to block out the sudden and unpleasant arrival of industrial lighting. No feature of this woman rang a bell, but Alex was willing to admit that her own bell had been rung rather thoroughly. “I’m sorry. It seems I haven’t gotten my coffee today, I don’t remember having met.”

    The woman smiled through thin lips and bared teeth. “I’m sure you’ll remember soon enough, Agent. I trust you’re comfortable?”

    “Snug as a bug,” Alex wheezed slightly, “in a rug.”

    “Fantastic. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying our hospitality.”

    Alex blinked slowly. “Mmhmm. Is there a reason we needed to meet in person? Here?”

    “I prefer to work face to face.”

    Alex’s head tilted drunkenly to the side, “I would have preferred meeting for coffee myself.”

    The woman laughed. Alex wondered if it would have grated so badly without the headache. The bitch needed to get the brakes checked on her vocal chords. Alex’s jaw tightened as she inhaled deeply, embracing the sharp pull. It was then she noticed that her comm was gone, likely left behind at the coffee shop. 

_     God I want some coffee _ .

_     Maggie isn’t going to let me have coffee for weeks _ .

    While the woman in front of her began to circle, Alex made plans to hide the vegan ice cream. If she had to suffer, so would Maggie. A woman didn’t own three coffee machines without being a little attached to her caffeine. 

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

    Alex didn’t bother trying to follow the woman’s progress. She was having enough fun breathing as it was, she wasn’t adding twisting ribs to mix. Besides, she couldn’t turn her head that far anyway. Her eyebrows twitched upwards as the woman came into view again. 

    Her captor stepped closer into Alex’s space. Her breath was warm on Alex’s neck as she looked up to her hanging prey. A hand reached up to dance in the red that decorated Alex’s face, her nail dragging against Alex’s temple. 

    Alex relaxed her face, only to raise a single eyebrow in question. She wasn’t giving the woman more than that. She had a reputation to maintain, after all. 

    “You’ll do nicely, I think.”

    Alex huffed out a laugh. “I always do.”

    “Hmmm. A good sense of humor. You’ll need that.”

    Alex blinked and the woman was halfway to the door, hips swinging. Alex closed her eyes until the door slammed shut with the audible click and hiss of electronic locks. 

_     In.  _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_    Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. Thud-thump. _

    It was time to consider her options. 

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. _

    First, she needed to get down.

_     Thud-thump. _

_     Out. _

_     Thud-thump. _

    Then, assess the damage and do what she could to treat it.

_    Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_    Thud-thump. _

    Get out of the room.

_     Thud-thump. _

_     Out _ .

_     Thud-thump. _

    Figure out why she was brought to here. Wherever here actually was.

_     Thud-thump. _

_     In. _

_     Thud-thump. _

    Get back to the DEO and sic Maggie on the woman who just pinched her ass.

_     Thud-thump. _

_     Out _ .

_     Thud-thump. _

     After she gets some fucking coffee.

_     Thud-thump. _


	3. Kitten Thinks About Nothing But Murder (and Coffee) All Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex Danvers is a damsel. She's in distress. She can handle it.

#  **Chapter 3:** **Kitten Thinks About Nothing But Murder (and Coffee) All Day**

        There are clearly cameras on her. She doubted the over bright lights would flicker to seizure levels every time she so much as shifted her weight otherwise. But she was Alex _motherfucking_ Danvers, and she had people to get back to and a job to do. And a girlfriend to do. And coffee. Alex was earning _so much_ good coffee for putting up with this shit. That really nice Guatemalan or maybe that Kona that Kara gets her from Hawaii. That has some really nice notes to it. _Far more relaxing than yoga, Mags._

        Alex was still dizzy enough to want to puke, but she wouldn’t. Because there were cameras. So instead, she focused inward, tensing her core to bring her legs up over her head. She almost lost her grip on the beam she was attached too, almost, as the stress on her arms released and she let out the air she was holding only for her chest to spasm and her lungs to seize and the blood to come rushing to her head. That last one was a nice change from feeling it drip down her spine, but it certainly didn’t help the dizziness. Alex slowly _so slowly_ rotated on the beam, nearly collapsing onto her stomach in relief.

        Now she could get down to business, if she was fast enough to beat whatever goons would be sent to stop her. Because now she could see that she was out of the camera’s view, it was anchored to the very beam she now sat atop, and even the worst criminal bad guys would be able to figure out she was up to something if she disappeared from view.

        For the record, it is incredibly hard to pick handcuffs when your hands are slicked with blood from the weight of your body attempting to pull your hands through small, sharp metal circles. It’s even harder when you’re concussed and the lights are flashing like ninth grade disco bowling night. It might work on anyone other than Alex.

        The first thing she does is reach to the back of her head and gingerly prod. Which quickly sends fireworks across her vision and makes her tilt dangerously on the beam, so Alex decided it was probably best to ignore that for now. Alex went to medical school, she can decide that. She was also well aware that doing so laid the groundwork for a confirmation bias joke, but Maggie wasn’t here _thank god_ and the way she was feeling, Alex wouldn’t remember it in ten minutes anyway.

        Alex rotated her arms carefully. Nothing was dislocated, but she’d have to be careful of the damage strain for however long may have caused. Her wrists were no longer actively bleeding, so that was good. She wiped her hands off on her pants and made her way across the beam, closer to the door. She only had moments left, she was sure, and whatever came through that door would be only the first obstacle between her and returning to her family.

        Alex had one shot at freedom. If she took another hit to the head, she knew she’d be out of the game and entirely dependent on her girlfriend and alien sister to find her. Alex Danvers did not enjoy being a damsel in distress. She could handle it. If she was careful. It was her job to save people, after all, and she was a people.

        A people with a giant headache, no less. Alex was still very bitter about not having her coffee. Her brain would be much clearer than this otherwise. _Aside from the clear concussion anyway_. Alex was tired. So very tired. She almost looked forward to the fussing Maggie and Kara would do when she got out of here: warm showers, food, cuddles, maybe even a massage from her girlfriend. Then all she’d have to convince them to do is give her her coffee, doctor’s orders be damned, and it really would be the perfect evening with her two favorite girls.

        Or morning.

        Whatever time of day it was.

        Alex tried to focus on her watch to see, but the screen was broken and everything was still a little blurry anyway. She ran her hands through her hair, careful to avoid the pulsating wound at the back. She shifts a little on her beam, getting uncomfortable with the wait, but the wall solid behind her. Solid was good. Solid meant she knew everything around her wasn’t actually moving.

        The lights stopped flashing, and Alex couldn’t be more relieved. Her head was killing her. That meant, of course, that something was about to happen and it would probably hurt. Alex was the first to run into trouble and that often had consequences. Never let it be said that Alex Danvers didn’t learn from her mistakes, she just found that there were occasions where it was more convenient to repeat them.

        Alex leaned forward in anticipation. Anticipation of getting out of here, of seeing her girl, her sister, her SpaceDad™ and her little brothers. Anticipation of beating whatever escape time inevitably gets set up in the office pool, because when she beats it Pam always buys her the good beans to share the winnings. Alex leans forward, ready to pounce, and immediately has to ground herself by placing one hand back on the wall. Dizzy spells in the flashing lights were bad enough, dizzy spells in the dark could get her killed.

        She had no intention of dying today, there were still kisses to be had, “I love you” to be shared, and coffee to be drunk. Really, throwing herself at someone was a shit idea, but it was all she had at the moment. _She really could have used that coffee_.

        The door opened.

        Alex hesitated for only a moment.

 _Fuck it_.

        She dropped.


	4. Caffeine Withdrawals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A common side effect of withdrawal symptoms is hallucinations. Alex should be so lucky.

#  **Chapter 4: Caffeine Withdrawals**

Alex Danvers hated to admit when she was wrong. As far as she was concerned, she was always right, there were just a few occasional times when she was slightly less correct than usual. Especially if Winn was present. Her idiot little brother was never allowed to be right on principle, the principles being that a) he was an idiot and b) he once tried to hide her coffee and that is an unforgivable offence that he will continue to pay for well into their futures. 

This might be,  _ might be _ , one of those times that Alex Danvers made a less than correct call. She refused to commit to that because, well, she couldn’t really remember what happened after she jumped off that beam. She certainly couldn’t blame herself for things she couldn’t remember doing ( _ that’s a lie, she always did. Myriad, the White Martian thing, it was always her fault _ ). 

Coming to ( _ again _ ) was a very slow experience for her. With any luck, she would open her eyes to Kara and Maggie in the DEO medbay, safe and sound with a battery acid coffee snuck off one of the nurses when they weren’t looking.  _ A girl could dream, right? _

By the time her eyes could drag themselves open against the bright lights shining through her eyelids, her mouth tasted of dry ash and copper, the beat in her head sounding more like heavy metal screamo than Barenaked Ladies. By the time Alex Danvers opened her eyes, she was pretty well convinced that best case was not in her future.  _ The DEO would have given her the good drugs.  _

Alex Danvers dragged her eyes open by sheer force of will. Her sister may have arrived as the Girl of Steel, but Alex Danvers was forged into it.

She blinked once, twice, trying to clear her vision.

And then a third time, because maybe she really was on drugs. 

Not the good kind of drugs, either.

The woman from before was still missing  _ and Alex still did not know where the hell she knew her from, but she was pretty well set on kicking her ass when she found her. _

No, Alex couldn’t be that lucky. 

Having Kara as a sister was lucky. Finding her Space Dad™ was lucky. Finding Maggie messing up her crime scene was lucky. 

Waking up like some strapped down horror interpretation of Sleeping Beauty to the sight of the artfully pretentious scruff of Maxwell Lord only inches from her face?

_ Lucky was not how Alex would describe it _ .

“Well hello, sunshine. I was almost worried you wouldn’t wake up.”

“Lord.”

He smiled, and the nausea from her head wound and the drugs only increase. “Alex, please, it’s Max. I’ve been gone for a while, but we’ve dated, saved each other’s lives, I think we’re on a first name basis.”

Alex tugged experimentally at the straps, too tired to really do anything. “Lord, you’re the vilest man I’ve ever met, and I’m including a hitman with a radioactive heart made of Kryptonite in that list.”

“I’ve missed our banter, Alex, I really have.”

Alex wondered if he’d go away if she pretended to pass out. Knowing him, she’d wake up dressed in lingerie and tied to his bed, so she thought better than to risk it.  _ And now she’d need Maggie’s help to get that image out of her head for ever.  _

Lord pulled away, straightening up but still smiling down on her. “You know, for a while there I thought maybe I wasn’t your  _ type _ , you know? I used all my best moves on you.”

_ He’s seriously monologuing right now? _ Forget the coffee, she needed whiskey.

“But then I hired Hailey to keep an eye on you while I was gone, you know? She swore I wasn’t your type, but you didn’t respond to any of her flirting. And I mean, I’ve seen the tapes, she practically threw herself at you every morning.”

Alex frowned. Hailey sounded familiar. But there wasn’t a Hailey at the DEO. Or the bar. So where the hell would she have seen a Hailey every morning? The only thing she ever did in the morning besides Maggie was occasionally hit up the shop for her…

Her coffee.

It had betrayed her.

“Hailey the  _ barista _ ?”

“One and the same, Alex, one and the same. She’s rather hurt you didn’t seem to recognize her earlier.”

Earlier. The bitch in the heels with the smirk. The smirk. It was on the face of the woman who usually handed her coffee at the shop.  _ Yeah okay I’m going back to Starbucks from now on.  _

“What the fuck?”

“Well, it took longer than anticipated to get back her. I wanted to keep my investments safe. And I’ve invested so much time into our relationship, Alex. Is it cliched to say I’m sorry I didn’t call?”

“We never had a relationship, Max. The closest thing we had is me slamming your head into things, and you can pay someone else to take care of that little fetish you have.”

“See, that’s what I love about you, Alex. You play hard to get.”

“Maxwell Lord, you’re the slimiest asshole to ever climb out of the cesspool of humanity. You never had a chance with me.” Alex paused, “I have standards.”

_ Short, dimpled, female standards _ .

Maxwell Lord had a horrendous laugh at the best of times, and it absolutely grated on her pounding skull now. “Alex, Alex, play nice now. I can be anything you want.”

“You not only are a dick, but you have one. Hard pass.”

Lord’s laughter trailed off. “Wait. You mean… you actually are a lesbian? Is that why you keep turning me down?”

“I have taste and standards. I am also a lesbian. Those two facts,” she paused to attempt a deeper breath, “are correlated, not the causation of your epic failure to woo me. You’re a fuckwad, Lord.”

“Tsk, tsk. That’s not a very nice thing to the guy who treated your head wound, Agent Danvers.”

_ Is that really all it took to get this ass to stop saying her name like a demonic prayer? She should have come out of the closet sooner _ .

“Your cronies gave me this head wound.”

“I’ll admit Hailey got a little ahead of herself on the first one. But the second crack was all you, Evel Knieval.”

Alex could not remember enough to refute that, so she stayed silent. He looked entirely too pleased with himself. She’d be more worried, but she had a history of kicking Maxwell Lord’s misogynistic ass and she had no intention of ending that winning streak.  _ Let him underestimate me _ .  _ Again _ .

“Why am I here?”

Max clapped his hands, almost looking apologetic when she flinched against the noise. “That’s right. We haven’t gotten to that. See, I’ve been busy with some plans for dealing with the Aliens that our lady president allowed to become citizens in one of her weaker moments. I’ve come to a stalling point, however, and I realized there’s only one person on this planet I would trust to help me. You.”

“ _ Me _ ?” Alex laughed through the pain in her ribs, “You are out of your damn mind, Lord.”

“I really don’t think I am, Danvers. I saved you from Myriad. I saved the world.”

“You saved yourself, Lord, and  _ assisted _ us in saving the world, once again trying to take credit for  _ Supergirl’s  _ work.”

“Okay, Danvers, let me put it this way. I’ll show you what I’ve got. Free and clear.  _ You _ will make the decision to help me.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I have more Red K hanging around, Danvers. I’d love to see who your sister goes after while Cat’s on her little adventure, wouldn’t you?”

Alex froze. She wouldn’t put her sister through that again, not ever. Helping Lord would buy her some time, either to rescue herself or to be rescued, it didn’t really matter as long as Kara was safe. “One condition.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll leave Supergirl and your little martian friend out of my plans.”

“ _ Two  _ conditions.”

“You’re not really in a position to be making demands, Danvers.”

“I just want some fucking coffee, Max.”

He stared at her, deciding. He let out a huff of laughter. “Of course you do. C’mon, let’s get you up and get you some coffee so we can get to work.”

He worked at the straps and was decent enough not to get to handsy while he helped her sit up. She needed it, though Alex really, really did not want to admit it. 

Head trauma is a funny thing. Alex was used to nausea. She worked through sickness, she partied harder when hungover. She fought through the sinking pit in her stomach when Maggie asked “Are we cool?”

Getting sick was a weakness. Weakness was not in Alex Danvers’ vocabulary.

But she had never been more proud to puke than she was now. 

Because if she couldn’t wake up from this nightmare with her coffee or cuddles with her girlfriend and Kara, well, vomiting all over Maxwell Lord was a decent consolation prize.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got theories? Hit up my askbox on tumblr @bathtimefunduck. Don't actually follow me, because it's a hot mess of cute animals, political frustration, sanvers, and the occasional fic recs, but mostly just me ranting in tags. I mean, follow if you want, but consider yourself warned. But drop by and talk to me sometime!
> 
> For real angst, check out @onefootone, also on the tumbles. Or onefootonego, here on AO3, for some phenomenal writing on my OTP guns and giggles (director sanvers), NB!Alex, and the kickass SuperPac!au.
> 
> Seriously though, @onefootone has an awesome (organized and sensical) blog. Check'em out.


	5. Placebo Effect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord's plan is revealed, and an imposter is discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops

_ That motherfucker gave her decaf _ . 

She no longer felt even remotely bad about ruining a suit that cost more than her yearly rent. 

He absolutely deserved it. 

Alex was given scrubs to change into and a toothbrush. She’d washed her face as best she could and dabbed tenderly at her head wound. Max had done a decent job with the stitches, but medicine clearly wasn’t his forte. 

He’d met her outside of the restroom with two guards and a less cheery smile, offering her a mug of what she thought might be liquid gold. 

Gold-plated tar was more like it. 

She glared at him. 

It was hot, at least. Her throat burned and her head swam, but it was hot and grounding. 

Alex thought about dumping it onto the new suit he’d changed into anyway. She wanted to watch his smirk fade and she unflinchingly poured it over his tailored Armani and let it drip into his hand-sewn Prada shoes, and with any luck she’d catch his Rolex too. 

_ Fucking decaf _ . 

“Caffeine isn’t good for concussions, Alex.”

“But it  _ is  _ good a preventing me from  _ giving them to you _ ,” she replied as sweetly as she could, through ground teeth.

Max smiled that Colgate smile he’d once worn on billboards. “Play nice, Danvers. C’mon, let’s take a look at my stuff.”

Max made sure that his security stayed between them. The hallway had no windows, and none of the doors they passed did either. It was hardly Lord’s best work, far too industrial for his normal flair, and the halogen-on-steel did nothing for her headache. 

_ Where the fuck was everyone anyway? _

She was ushered into a lab near the end of the hall. Still no windows, no sign of where they were, not even a helpfully dropped business card. Useless criminals. 

A couple of men in lab coats cleared the way for Max to lead her to some type of tube. Big, metal. Some kind of blacked out window. Nearby machines held what looked like vital signs. Steady, but low. 

Her cup of imposter juice was empty. 

She probably shouldn’t ask for a refill, it being a lab and all. 

Alex gripped it tighter, imagining the fun she could have breaking it over Maxwell’s head. 

There was a lot of fun to be had there. 

Max fiddled with something to the side of the tube-thing. 

The window cleared. 

She stepped closer to see what unfortunate fool Max had gotten his slimy hands onto this time. 

She almost dropped her cup. 

That nose. The curls.

The white streak. 

Astra. 

“ _ What the fuck? _ ”

“Ah, I was hoping you’d recognize her.” Max clapped his hands. He looked thrilled. “The ship she was in got caught and dragged around by a minor meteor. Spun near the sun, shoved her back out just in time to be caught by the Earth’s gravity again.”

“That’s a heartbeat.”

“Yes. Seems her little  _ trip around the sun _ -”

He looked so fucking proud of himself. 

The cup was still an option. 

“-brought her back. She was only  _ mostly _ dead. Or something.”

“And you found her.”

“A source in the military did. It was decided I was best for handling her, I  _ did _ save the world from others like her.” Max cocked his head and tapped the tube. “I couldn’t think of anyone more suited to bringing her back to health for questioning than you.”

“Questioning,” she repeated flatly. 

“Inquiring minds want to know how they tick, Alex. And you won’t let us near Supergirl.”

“I would rip out your spine through your scrotum first.”

Max and his security detail all winced at the image. 

It was a pleasing image. 

“Well, Danvers. Get her awake, and your sister will be safe.”

That was a bold faced lie. He knew it. She knew it. He knew she knew it. 

But it was Astra. 

Kara’s aunt.

That she’d killed.

That might have turned, if they hadn’t been interrupted. 

She was  _ so close _ . 

And now she was right here, in front of Alex. 

Breathing. 

There was a chance. 

Alex inhaled and held it for ten. 

She exhaled. 

She put her hand on the tube and made a silent promise to get them both out of here. 

She turned to Lord, who was waiting rather impatiently for her decision. 

“We’ll need to create a sunroom for her to heal. Maybe one that can be flipped to mimic a red sun.”

“Sure.”

“Absolutely  _ no _ Kryptonite.”

He hesitated.

“Do you want her to heal or not?” Alex asked. “If we can mimic the properties of a red sun, she’ll be as good as human.  _ After _ , we use yellow rays to heal her.”

“You’re certain?”

“I’ve seen it myself.”

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Fine.”

“And Maxwell?”

He raised his eyebrows. 

She shoved her empty mug into his stomach. “I want some  _ real  _ fucking  _ coffee _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, nothing's ever truly abandoned.
> 
> There's one, maybe two left of this one, I think.


	6. The Best Part of Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caffeine is still MIA, but some people just need a little sun.

Two days. 

Two  _ motherfucking  _ days. 

Maxwell Lord took a perverse in checking in every few hours, annoying the shit out of her while she worked and the brief sleep she’d caught on a cot in “her” lab alike.  _ Just checking on your concussion, Danvers _ he’d said.  _ No need to throw the coffee cup _ , he’d said. 

She’d nearly gotten him that last time.

There were only two of him now, so, speaking as a doctor, she was doing fine. 

Fine enough to make the little lab monkeys Lord had given her do all things involving delicate motor skills, at least. 

Alex wasn’t sure what was taking so long to find her- where Kara and Maggie were, what they were doing. If they were smart, they’d deal with the crisis that had sent her in search of coffee first. 

Besides, Alex Danvers was a badass, and she could take care of herself. 

She leaned over and squinted at the monitor nearest her until the numbers faded into one. It wouldn’t be long now. 

“Knock Knock!”

Her borrowed minions scattered out of the way, making sure they weren’t between her and Lord. The first time she’d thrown a cup at him, she’d accidentally nailed one. Alex would have felt bad, but they worked for him. 

Her cup, holding only the dregs of the high quality bullshit decaf, sat near her hand. He’d threatened to stop replacing them, so she probably should save it. 

“How’s my favorite Dr. Frankenstein coming along?”

“You’re the prepubescent with a god complex, Lord. Or have you completely forgotten Bizzaro?”

Max winced. “Ah. Yes. How-”

“Still comatose.” Alex jerked a hand in the sunbed’s direction. “As is that one. But Astra’s improving.”

“Good, good. Certain members of the military are getting impatient.”

“Mmhm. I’m sure General Lane is. So, what’s the plan?”

He scratched at his artfully manicured stubble. “Plan?”

“For containment.” Alex tilted her head. “We raided every facility you had, I’m fairly certain you don’t have any real kryptonite.”

“I don’t. I  _ do  _ still have the form-”

Alex raised her hand. “I’mma stop you right there. Supergirl has the best, biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. She threw her mentor off a building on your version of Kryptonite. Do you really want to know what a convicted  _ eco terrorist _ would do with no inhibitions?”

Max pursed his lips. 

“Really, Max?”

“Plan B, then.”

“What’s Plan B?”

“How long until you think she wakes up?”

“A few hours. What’s plan B?”

“Oh good, then you won’t need these guys then.”

“Max.”

Max motioned for the minions to leave. They did so without making eye contact. It miffed her a little. 

“Max.”

Max walked over to the sunbed and poked at Astra. “You were there when she died, right?”

“Yes.” 

“How did it happen?”

“I killed her.”

Max startled. “You? But isn’t she-?”

Alex winced. Her decision that night still haunted her. Still haunted Kara, too, she was sure. 

“Huh. Didn’t think you had it in you, Danvers.”

“I will always defend those I care about.” Alex glanced at the monitor. Any minute now. “So you should tell me what Plan B is before I start to make assumptions.”

“We have the red sun lamps.”

“She’s a military general, Lord.” 

“Still human, under the lights.”

Not exactly. And only if the lights did more than tint red, which they wouldn’t. She’d made sure of that. 

“Besides, you’re here.” He smirked. “I’ve heard you trained Supergirl. I’m sure you can handle it.”

Alex gave herself 75/25 odds that Astra would try to kill her first. They weren’t the  _ best _ odds, but when she’d died, Astra was still very much pissed at Lord for what he’d done to Kara. Alex had a shot. She could, at least, take advantage of any destruction that Astra caused to hopefully make her escape. 

Or draw Kara’s attention. Whichever happened first. 

Max leaned over Astra, touching at her face carelessly. “She doesn’t look old enough to be anyone’s aunt.”

“Kryptonians age slower than humans.”

Astra’s hand twitched and Max didn’t notice. 

“So,” Alex asked. “When am I getting real coffee?”

Max looked up with a smarmy grin. “You get sleeping beauty here to wake up, and I’ll take you out to get the best coffee money can buy.”

“What, so Hailey can poison my drink?”

Max laughed. “I don’t know, Danvers, that seems right up your alley. Sure you don’t want me to set you up?”

“I want  _ coffee _ , Max.”

Astra’s hand moved more fully. 

Max moved to stand up straight again. 

He didn’t get a chance. 

Astra’s hand shot up and took him by the neck. She shot off the bed and hovered, still holding him by the neck. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in everything as a good soldier should. 

Max scrambled for his pocket. Lights blared, metal bars crossing over the room’s only exit. The overhead lights switch to red. 

Alex smirked as Astra (and Max) stayed in the air. 

“Brave One?” Astra asked, her voice hoarse.

“Hey, Astra.”

“You killed me.” Astra tilted her head. “Honorably, in defense of your superior officer.”

“Yeah.” Alex reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m sorry.”

“No apologies. It was a good death.”

“Kara and Non sent you off.”

“They sent me into Rao’s Light with honor?”

“They did.”

Astra frowned. She looked down at Max, as if she’d just now realized he was still struggling to breathe. “And what of him? Is he why I’ve returned? What abomination has occurred?”

“Apparently Rao sent you back with a heartbeat after your trip to the sun.” Alex huffed. “I’m not entirely clear on how he got you here, just that his crew ambushed me and brought me here to make sure you got better.”

“To what purpose?”

“General Lane is involved.”

Astra’s grip tightened reflexively. “Human.”

“Don’t kill him yet, Astra. We still have to get out of here.”

Astra narrowed her eyes. She looked very much like Kara in that moment. “You are injured.”

“I’ll live.”

Astra raised Max to eye level. “But will he?”

“Don’t kill him yet, please. I need to know where he keeps the coffee.”


	7. Coffee is Not JUST an Addiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it really a rescue if it's two days late and a coffee short?

Astra worked quickly, refusing to let Alex do much of anything. Something about _You gave me an honorable death_ _and allowed Kara to send me to Rao_ and _You healed me and prevented this human from bringing me further harm_ and some bullshit _You’re injured_. Maybe she wanted to hit people too. Maybe she-

Okay, she still got dizzy if she stood too quickly. 

Astra maybe had a point. 

Maybe. 

The scientist were herded into a room that locked from the outside. Lord’s security personnel were knocked out and tied up, shoved into an empty coat closet, practically stacked on top of each other. 

Astra trusted Max to Alex.

Alex had, of course, secured Max to a rolling chair with copious amounts of duct tape. No escaping for him. 

It took about ten seconds of him being awake again for the duct tape to make its way over his mouth. He’d given her enough headaches, thanks. 

“Hey, Astra?”

A rush of air, and Astra was standing in front of her again. “Yes, Brave One?”

“You find anyone named Hailey?”

Astra’s eyes flashed. “Did this Hailey partake in your injury?”

Alex slapped at the machine in front of her. She couldn’t get any of the buttons to work. “I mean, she spied on me.”

“You wish to question her?”

“Not really.” Alex tossed the duct tape to Astra. “Actually, I’d rather she not talk at all.”

“Then what use have you for her?”

“I can’t get the fucking espresso machine to work.”

“This is important?”

“Astra. I haven’t had coffee in  _ days _ .”

Astra tilted her head and looked much like her niece. Like a german shepard instead of Kara’s goldendoodle. She stared at Alex and said nothing. 

“ _ Yes _ , okay. Bring me Hailey and I will call for backup to clear this place and get us out of here.”

“I could get us out of here.”

“But they might get away. Or you might cause structural damage. Or any number of things.” Alex pursed her lips and smacked the machine again. 

“I do not think that is helping.”

“Astra.”

Astra smirked. “I will get this Hailey.”

“You do-” 

Astra was gone and back before she could finish. 

Hailey was dangling from her fingertips. She looked much less pleased with herself now. 

Alex raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to make me coffee, Hailey.  _ Good _ coffee. With caffeine. You’re not going to spit in it, poison it, or put your number on the cup. Is that understood?”

Astra frowned and swung Hailey around to face her, the woman’s heel’s scraping desperately at the ground. “I understand that the writing of numbers on cups is usually a sign of courting. Yet you are not worthy of my beloved niece’s sister.”

Alex wrinkled her nose. That was almost sweet. And very weird. Very, very weird. “Astra, put her down. I’d like my coffee now.”

“Hmph.”

Hailey fell to the floor, scrambling away from the Kryptonian. 

Alex nudged her with her foot. “Coffee.”

“What do I get out of it?”

“I won’t feed you to the alien.”

“They don’t eat humans.”

Astra smiled widely, showing off as many teeth as possible. 

“Right! Um, coffee. Your usual?”

Alex was never going to that shop again. “Yes. Make one for Astra, too.”

“Your drugs do nothing for me.”

“Coffee isn’t just a  _ drug _ , Astra. It’s an  _ experience _ .”

Astra and Hailey both gave her incredulous looks. She shook it off and wandered over to Max, still tied up in the corner. She pat down his his coat and stole his cell phone and dialed a number by heart. 

“Hey, Winn? Yeah, it’s Alex.” She looked up to find both Hailey and Astra watching her. She pointed at Hailey and then at the espresso machine. “Yeah, yeah.  _ I’m aware I’ve been missing for days _ . Can you trace this call?”

“It’s going to take a minute,” he said. 

Alex flipped it to speaker and wandered towards the hissing machine. “Yeah, it’s whatever. I’m here. The situation’s contained.”

“Yeah, about that… what… what situation? What the hell happened?”

Alex took the cup Hailey offered, held it to her face, and breathed in the delicious steam. She opened her eyes to find Hailey and Astra both staring at her. “Winn, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Well you’re gonna have to tell someone-” Winn clicked on something. “Supergirl picked up Maggie on the way. They should be there in three, two-”

The door to the cafeteria burst open, Supergirl using her body to shield Maggie from the impact. As soon as Supergirl let her go, Maggie rushed over. 

“Mags, Mags- Jesus, Mags,  _ my coffee _ .”

Maggie pulled back sharply. “ _ Your coffee? _ What the  _ fuck,  _ Danvers.”

Alex wrinkled her nose. She glanced between the cup and her girlfriend, weighing her options. Supergirl hovered behind Maggie. 

Neither seemed to have noticed they weren’t alone. 

Alex looked at her cup sadly.

Then she chugged it. 

Scalding hot coffee.

She’d regret that later, probably. 

“Jesus Christ, Danvers!”

Maggie and Supergirl noticed Hailey. 

“I know you,” said Maggie. 

Alex waved a hand in front of her mouth, fanning it. “Yeah, yeah. Mags, meet Hailey, the minion undercover as a barista.”

“Minion of who?” Supergirl asked. 

Alex waved in Max’s direction.

She tugged Maggie over and wrapped her arms around her. “Love you. Missed you.”

Maggie sank into her. “Oh my god, Danvers. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Supergirl joined their hug. “Alex.”

The machine hissed again, and Alex peeked over her girlfriend’s head. “Hey, Astra, can I have your coffee?”

Supergirl froze. “Astra?”

“Hello, niece. Brave One, is that recommended with your head injury… and the burns to your mouth?”

“ _ Aunt Astra _ ?” Supergirl gasped, turning and running for her aunt. 

“Head injury?”

Alex smiled widely. “Hi, honey. Thanks for coming to my rescue?”

Astra released her niece from her hug. She glanced over at Maggie. “Honey? This is your chosen suitor, Brave One?”

Alex sighed and extracted herself from Maggie, who’d taken it upon herself to use her hands to scan Alex for further injury. “Not before I have more coffee, Astra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! 
> 
> Drop a line and say hello! I'm off to finish OtHW


End file.
